| Here is the situation: | | | | to reduce global GHG emissions below the rate at |
| India congratulates itself for having among the lowest | | | | which the planet can absorb those emissions, until we |
| per-capita rates of greenhouse gas emission in the | | | | get back down to a sustainable level. We are already |
| world. India's GHG emissions are about 1.5 tonnes of | | | | in "overshoot". |
| CO2 equivalent per capita. India claims it "is not a | | | | We need to get global human-caused emissions down |
| significant contributor" to global GHG emissions | | | | to about 14 billion tonnes of CO2 per year just to |
| (though it is the fifth largest, and will probably be the | | | | keep atmospheric CO2 levels from rising. Since |
| 3rd largest within a few years). It says won't exceed | | | | population is also increasing we should target a global |
| the per capita emissions of the industrialized countries | | | | rate of emissions of about 1.8 tonnes per person per |
| even as it develops. (It should be careful about this | | | | year. |
| promise, since industrialized countries could cut their | | | | Well, that was a lot of introduction, but now you can |
| per-capita rates substantially if they wanted to. | | | | see the implications: |
| These goalposts can be moved, and such promises | | | | - India already approaches the total per-capita |
| forgotten.) | | | | emission level that all of us (or our descendants) will |
| But India achieves this low rate of emissions because | | | | have to attain to keep the earth from going over |
| of the millions who are so poor that they generate | | | | the edge, climate-change wise. |
| no greenhouse gases to speak of. If it raises them | | | | - India has the relatively easy job of raising living |
| out of poverty they will want vehicles, electric lights | | | | standards while not increasing GHG emissions. |
| and appliances, air conditioning, and many other | | | | - The US, for example, has the harder task of |
| amenities they have been denied. Their GHG | | | | reducing per-capita emissions by 95% without |
| emissions will climb toward those of the middle class, | | | | reducing living standards, and while burdened with a |
| which already equal those of most industrialized | | | | huge legacy of carbon-intensive infrastructure. |
| nations. (If the Indian "middle class" (and above) | | | | India will be building infrastructure as it develops, and |
| includes 50 million people, and they account for half | | | | its people will be deciding how to live with greater |
| of India's 1.5 billion metric tonnes of GHG emissions, | | | | personal wealth. |
| each is already emitting more than the average | | | | India must build toward a less carbon-intensive |
| citizen of the U.K., Japan, Spain or France, and twice | | | | society, rather than mimicking the high-carbon |
| as much as the average Swiss.) | | | | excesses, the mistakes, of the industrialized |
| The atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases | | | | countries. Do it right the first time or you will have to |
| that we believe will not trigger catastrophic climate | | | | do it twice, setting back development and prolonging |
| disruption is about 350 parts per million of CO2. Since | | | | the poverty of the nation. |
| the level is already at 385 ppm that means we have | | | | |